, 1887-10-13
JAS. JONES TALKS.
The Burglar Is interviewed by a
Leader Reporter.
The Jail Breaker Chats With the
HaWkshaW Editor.
A Brief Outline of the GentIeman's
Career and Exploits.

tered The LEADER sanctum about IL
o'clock last night. SIS the Hawkshaw
editor in?"I
The individual who, in his mind, has
been surrounding Mccoy and his com
panions every evening during the past
week. responded that he was the chief of
this journals staff of $40, 900 per year
reporter detectives. and in oily tones in
quired the nature of the intruder's bust
ness.
"Oh, [ have merely called to pay you
a social visit" said the stranger pleasant
ly. MY name is Jones. and / scorn to
conceal the fact that | am a burglar by
occupation and a safe blower and jail
breaker by profession"
E'Pray be seated Mr.. JONES'" remarked
the editor in a three days-before election
voice, 1T isn't every day hat such pop-
ular and well known men as yourself
deign to fatter a newspaper by calling
at headquarters. The press of the city
are greatly indebted to you for your kind
ness in furnishing them with subjects for
extended dissertations On the boldness of
robbers in general, and four own clever
actions in particular. The exigencies of
the hour demand that you be interviewed.
Opportunity and inclination. those i'm
portant factors in a process of any sort,
are provided at present. Be kind enough
to relate slowly and distinctly a brief out
line of your career and chief exploits"
"As you might naturally infer, 1 was
born at a very early age and began life
shortly afterwards. The coincidation of
this coincidence may appear remarkable,
but l have always observed that the more
out OF the ordinary the occurrence, the
more strange and improbable it seemed.
After casting about for some trade or
profession whereby 1 might be enabled to
earn a livelihood without working l con.
cluded to become a physician, but soon
dropped that and Joined a negro minstrel
troupe, after which | become advance
agent for the Ttoenty JfUe Dollar Gold
Piece combination. The star was killed
while attempting to swindle a boarding
house keeper in Yankton, OAK, and l en-
tered the newspaper business, but did not
like it, Next L sought the law and my
path was strewn with poverty stricken
clients for six or eight months. Finally
| defended successfully two burglars. who
had robbed a house and killed a woman
and two children. They reimbursed me
with a liberality that would have COM
pletely paralyEed even Jake Sharp's at
torney. That settled it, 1 shouted
Ureka! and formed q co-partnership with
m * clients. At first l, after the man
ner of the timid ameteur in Dickens
Oliver Twist confined my undertakings
to the robbery of children enroute to beer
halls with a GROWER and a small sum of
money. The risk was Insignificant and
the remuneration more than commensur-
ate with the outlay OF energy and cum
ming.
MY soaring ambition yearned for bet
ter and more exciting adventures and |
believe that it was the proudest M
of my existence when | was permitted by
the captain of the gang to enter a resi-
dence and purloin a Waterbury watch
and $l.40 in money.
"Since that memorable event the silver
lining of my cloud has shone with daz-
cling and Respondent b~rilliancy. 1t is
unnecessary for me to enumerate my raids
and adventures to you. Suffice it to say
that | have handled tons of iewelry, been
in jail numberless times and as often es-
capped before the date of a trial.
That Sixteenth street job here last
summer was a small affair. The girl was
sleeping soundly when | entered her
room and removed the collateral. She
was snoring loudly before 1 touched the
window. Herman Haas safe was wide
open and the dog IN the city pound.
An inordinate love of gambling has
been the bane Of my existence. But for
my Partially toward a social game of
draw | should never have been COM
PEELED to incommode Sharpless as |
have" At the conclusion of the above
the wizard burglar heaved one of the long
drawn signs affected by the blase society
man, produced a diamond studded cigar
case, offered the reporter a weed, ap-
piled a lighted match to the end of a
Havana himself, and remarked: These
are first rate cigars. l don't believe in
using an inferior brand. Some of these
alleged cigars are absolutely injurious"
How did you manage to escape from
that steel cell, Mr.. Jones2" calmly in
quired the newspaper man.
Steel cell? Steel cell2 Oh, yes, |
understand, now, you refer to those COM
bination sardine box arrangements. Well,
that's a professional secret, as a member
of the legislature would say, but | don't
mind telling you. The knowledge may
become practically available at some fu-
ture time. | simply used a small piece
Of Damascus steel which | carry
for an emergency of this sort. There was
no guard in the day time, and it would
have made no difference had there been.
The operation was completely noiseless.
Sharpless has nv svmnathy. but NcCnv